Sonic Free Riders - Xbox 360

Game Description: For the first time ever in a SEGA game, full-motion body control will allow you to twist and turn your way through a range of visually stunning courses in an action-packed Sonic experience unlike any other!

E3 2010 Preview: Sonic Free Riders

By
Kevin Kelly
- Posted Jun 23, 2010

What We Already Know:

Basically nothing, other than the fact that Sonic is a rascally little hedgehog. With four new Sonic titles on the way, Sega appears to be backing up an automatic milking machine directly to one of its beloved franchises and hitting the on switch. Sonic Free Riders brings the game to the Xbox 360's Kinect so you can actually pretend to be the little guy himself.

What We're Seeing Now:

Sonic Free Riders was announced at E3 2010 as the first Sega title that will support Kinect for the Xbox 360. It's a racing game where you mount a hoverboard or hoverbike in solo or multiplayer gameplay and race through "Epic settings including sun-drenched resorts, deep winding canyons, glimmering waterfalls and majestic ancient ruins, each with their own unique traps and surprises around every corner."

Players can choose to be Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Jet, Wave, Storm, Amy Rose, Dr. Eggman or even their own avatar as they race for golden rings and dodge attacks from their fellow racers. Gameplay consists of kicking your foot on the ground to accelrate, leaning to bank turns, reaching your arms out to collect rings, jumping up for maximum air, and spinning around like a top to entertain the people watching you. I mean, for bonus points in the game.

Sega had a booth setup like a glass aquarium with this game being demoed inside by a hapless employee, and they weren't letting anyone else try it out just yet. We watched as this lucky (or unlucky, as he was doing it all day) guinea pig kicked, leaned, and body surfed through the resort level, complete with chattering dolphins and waterspouts. In fact, you'll also swim in this game, which apparently consists of flailing your arms in front of you like a drowning puppy.

Without having gotten our hands (and feet) in this game, we can't directly speak for the gameplay, but it looks like a lot of fun. Parents will definitely want to consider this as the perfect vent for getting rid of excess sugar in their children's bloodstreams.